| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.85 |
| Liaison | Ruairi O'Mahony |
| Submission Date | May 1, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Massachusetts Lowell
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.75 / 2.00 |
Juliette
Rooney-Varga Director & Associate Professor Climate Change Initiative & Biological Sciences |
Does the institution have one or more co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that fall into the following categories?:
| Yes or No | |
| Active student groups focused on sustainability | Yes |
| Gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, or urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems | Yes |
| Student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes | No |
| Sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills | No |
| Conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience | Yes |
| Cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience | Yes |
| Wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles | Yes |
| Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences | No |
| Programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills | No |
| Sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution | Yes |
| Graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions | No |
| Other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives | Yes |
The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:
The Climate Change Initiative (includes both faculty and students), Student Environmental Alliance (student-governed) and Solar Energy Association (student-governed) are three such groups.
Student Environmental Alliance (SEA) - http://www.uml.edu/Research/Climate-Change/SEA.aspx
Climate Change Initiative (CCI) - http://www.uml.edu/Research/Climate-Change/about/about.aspx
Solar Energy Association (Solar Club) – refers to sustainability as a core value
https://umasslowellclubs.collegiatelink.net/organization/solarclub
Some examples of their accomplishments are listed below:
1. In April of 2013, SEA organized and hosted Beat the Heat, a climate change awareness and solutions event. Over 15 businesses, organizations and clubs, including Solar Club, around Lowell had booths to promote their environmentally friendly and sustainable practices. In addition, five speakers addressed the audience about sustainability practices, including Former Mayor Patrick O. Murphy, who proclaimed April 27th as Beat the Heat Day in Lowell.
2. Students that are part of the CCI are involved in the Climate Education in an Age of Media (CAM) program which integrates media production into climate change education. Students developed climate change education videos that were then broadcast to all audiences at UMass Lowell on billboards. As an additional part of the NASA grant (which funded CAM), CCI Faculty took part in interviews related to climate change and those videos were aired on local public broadcasting stations.
http://cleanet.org/cced_media/index.html
http://www.uml.edu/Research/Climate-Change/projects/Interviews-CCI.aspx
3. Students that are part of the CCI helped organize the 2014 Climate Change Teach-In which attracted over 600 students, faculty and community members. The theme of the 2014 teach-in was “Taking the High Ground: Real Actions to Address Global Climate Change.”
http://gse.uml.edu/climatechange/2014.htm
The website URL where information about student groups is available:
A brief description of gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems:
UMass Lowell has a community garden.
The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:
NA
The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:
There has been a process created for energy rebates and other incentives to be reserved for future conservation projects (Green Fund). Students are not involved in this initiative.
The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
There are a number of conferences, speakers series and events completed in the last year. Some consist of:
Climate Change Teach in
Waste Recycling Day
Recyclemania: http://www.uml.edu/EEM/Environmental-Stewardship/Events/RecycleMania-Competition.aspx
Electronics Recycling Competition
Massachusetts Sustainable Communities and Campuses Conference
World Climate Game Session
The website URL where information about the event(s) is available:
A brief description of cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:
The following is a blurb promoting an event about student-produced climate change videos:
"Our shared climate legacy: Student-produced film shorts and an intergenerational discussion about responding to climate change" - We are excited to present an evening featuring short, student-produced videos and an open, student-lead discussion about what we can do to create a better future in the face of our changing climate. With support from the NASA-funded Climate Education in an Age of Media (CAM) Project (http://cleanet.org/cced_media/), UMass Lowell students taking the Climate Change: Science, Communication, and Solutions course will present what they have learned, what they want to communicate, and the questions they have for each other and their community on how we can shape a future that responds to climate change while improving human well being. Members from LIRA, the Learning in Retirement Association are invited guests, along with the general public and UMass Lowell faculty, staff and students.
The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP), part of the Campus Recreation Center, seeks to offer a variety of outdoor trips for the university community. The trips are designed for beginners who may have never hiked, camped, or paddled before. They seek to offer trips to meet every person's skill level in order to challenge each person to grow through the experience but also to have fun and develop relationships along the way.
Current students, faculty, and staff members of UMass Lowell are eligible to participate in OAP trips and events. The program is not student-governed.
http://www.uml.edu/CampusRecreation/Outdoor-Adventure/TripInformation.aspx
Society of Environmental Scientists (SES)
SES is a student governed club which, among other objectives, aims to enhance student understanding of geological and environmental sciences through field excursions, which explore local geology and ecology. SES expands the skill set of its members by working with Wachusett Mountain State Reservation in collaboration with the Appalachian Mountain Club and by organizing frequent rock and mountain climbing trips.
https://umasslowellclubs.collegiatelink.net/organization/society-of-environmental-scientists/about
The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
NA
The website URL where information about the theme is available:
A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
NA
The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:
There are student employee opportunities (internships) in the Environmental & Emergency Management and Facilities Departments. There have also been student internships in the past in the Transportation Department. These internships involve recycling and overall sustainability program support, and renewable energy programs.
The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:
A pledge will be released next semester with the Student Life Group.
The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:
Two additional examples include the co-curricular Peru projects that focus on renewable energy, energy conservation and water improvements. There is also a co-curricular battery car competition.
The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.